US 'very hopeful' about future ties with India

Washington: Seeking to distance itself from US prosecutor Preet Bharara securing a re-indictment of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, US state department says it is ‘very hopeful about what the future holds’ for India-US relationship.

"Obviously, this is in the hands of the Department of Justice,” spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters on Monday via teleconference in Washington when asked about the re-indictment of Khobragade two days after the dismissal of a visa fraud case against her by a New York judge.

"In terms of the future of our relationship, as you know, Assistant Secretary Biswal was just in India," she said.

"She had a productive trip while she was there. She had a range of meetings while she was there, our relationship and all of the issues we work together on are far too important. So, we are looking forward and we are very hopeful about what the future holds,” Psaki said.

When asked to comment on the upcoming parliamentary elections in India, Psaki added, “I think we are conveying pretty clearly that we have an important relationship and we work together on economic, strategic, and security issues. Biswal's trip was evidence of that as well,” she said.

Expressing disappointment over Khobragade's second indictment, India had on Saturday described it as an ‘unnecessary step’.

The arrest and strip search of Khobragade, India's then deputy consul general in New York, on December 12 last year had sparked a diplomatic row between the two countries and led to the postponement of India-US energy dialogue.